Mechanism for creasing box blank material



24, 9 G. s. SILLARS ETAL 2,629,298

MECHANISM FOR CREASING BOX BLANK MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1948 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q KO In men tors Geo rge S. AS'z'llans" Wdlzer .BHaZZ F 1953 s. s. SILLARS ETAL MECHANISM FOR CREASING BOX BLANK MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lnven tors George S. Sillars y m fir. aw m r r a mm y B Feb. 24, 1953 e. s. SILLARS ETAL 2,629,298

MECHANISM FOR CREASING BOX BLANK MATERIAL Filed Dec. 15, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 11/// 11/ l/M [nven tons Geo rye 81 Sillam' 3 84- Walter B. Hall u B'tz'rAome 7994' Patented Feb. 24, 1953 Ram .MATERIAL i Beverly, and Walter B. Hall,

gnors to Hoague-Sprague Mass}; a corporation of f" "Needham,Mass.,' assi e Corporation, Lynn,

Massachusetts j n A inenon Deeelnber 15, 1943, ser l asset 1i i a ZClaimsx (Cl. sis- -58.1)

This inventionrelates to apparatus for forming creases in webs of blank material of thetype from which box portions are tobeproduced. ,The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in web-creasing mechanism. suitable for use in blank-making apparatus of the type illustrated and described in Letters Patentof the United States No. 1,988,451 granted January 22, 1935, on an application of C. D. Know1ton, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited in its applicationto machines of the type described therein; i

The apparatus oftheKnowlton patent operates progressively on a continuous web of blank material to perform various operations thereon leading to the formation of box blanks. Included in the apparatus are mechanisms which operate intermittently to produce a succession of lengthwisecreases in the web, the ends of which overlap to form a pair of parallel continuous creases. The crease-forming instrumentalities are formed on carrier bars which are reciprocated toward and from the web. The other blank-forming instrumentalities are carried by members which have movements of rotation only and the speed at which the machine mayoperate is limited by the speed at which the carrier bars may be reciprocated to form the lengthwise creases. The creasing mechanisms are sorormed that the material is gathered in and pinched at the crease in a manner to separate the laminae of the material of the web along thecrease lines thus facilitating subsequent folding of'the material along the crease lines without materially weakening the stock.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved mechanism for progressively and continuously creasing a web of blank material and simultaneously pinching the crease thus formed to render flaccid the material along the crease line, the mechanism being constructed and arranged to permit feeding of the web therethrough at a very high rate of speed. To this end and in accordance with a feature of the invention the creasing mechanism is formed of a pair of rolls arranged with their axes converging and providing between them a. notch into which the material of the Web is forced by a ribbed creasing roll mounted for free rotation at the side of the web opposite the first-mentioned rolls. The

first-named rolls are arranged so that their web--. facing surfaces diverge slightly from the notch between them away from the plane of the web supported by the rolls so .that the web is ,en- 'gagd bytherolls only amnesia edges between the top faces" and edgeffacesof the rolls at the location where the creasing operation takes place. By so arranging these rolls drag on the web is minimized as it passes a through the creasing mechanism. 1

In order to form the creases so that the material may be bent easily along the crease lines without dangerofrupturing the surface of the material it is desirable to separate the laminae of the material of the web during the creasing op-.

eration. To this end and in accordance with a; further feature of the inventionthecreasing rolls. between which the crease is formed by the ribbed creasing roll are beveled in such a manner that, their edge faces at their contiguous portions which. portions define the notch into which the: material is forced in the creasing operation, di-- verge slightly in a direction away from the web facing surfaces. By thus forming the rolls and properly spacing them they exert a pinching action on the material along the sides of the crease at its base. This is done without exerting undue force on the remainder of the crease, the

result being that the material is easily turned about the crease thus formedthrough an angle of without rupturing the surfaces of. the material.

In the formation of the creases the material of whichthe web is formed is drawn from opposite sides of the crease so that if two laterally spaced creases are formed simultaneously at the same points lengthwise of theweb, undesirable lateral strains may be imposed on the web between the creases. To obviatethis and in accordance with a further feature of the invention the creasing mechanisms arespaced lengthwise of the web so that neither of the mechanisms sets up stresses in the web due to the action of the other creasing member.

The above and other feature of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts will now be described by reference to the drawings and pointed out in the claims. I

n In the drawings, e a

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly in section, of one form of mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the creasing rolls illustrating their faction on theweb,

of materialin the creasing-"operation.

3 The invention is illustrated herein as embodied in a creasing mechanism suitable as a replacement for the creasing mechanism Y of the Knowlton patent referred to above, although it is to be understood that the use of the creasing mechanism describedherein is not limited to machines of this particular type. As shown in that patent the machine includes supporting bars ID on which the various blank-forming mechanisms of the machine are supported. Carried by the bars is a cross frame member 12 providing a'pair of transverse supporting rails 14 (Fig. 2) in which are formed slots l6. Interposed between the frame member l2 and the supporting bars H) are keys 18 for locating the frame l2'transversely with respect to the bars III. For securing the frame member l2 to the bars l after it has been correctly positioned-lengthwise of the bars, clamps 20 are provided. These clamps are U-shaped, one of the legs of each clamp termimating i a snherm ro t zl e d to seat in a similarlyformed recess in the top of the frame member, theother leg 23 of the clamp having threaded therethrough a screw .24 (Fig. 3) engageable with the underside of the associated bar I0.

Carried by eachof the rails 14 is a creasing mechanism 26, the creasing mechanisms being spaced lengthwisepf the machine in accordance with the spacing of the rails I4 as indicatedin Fig. 2 so that their zones of operation arespaced lengthwise of the web W as it passes therethrcugh. By this arrangementof the creasing mechanisms, each of which isdesigned progressively to form one longitudinal crease in the web, the gatheringof the material of the web into. a crease does not impose undesirable lateral strains upon the web as would be the case were the creasing mechanisms alined transversely of the 7 machine.

Each of the creasing mechanisms includes an upper creasing roll 2 8 having a peripherally extending Tib'3QbY Whi-Ch the material passing beneath the roll is presseddownwardly between a pair of lowercreasing rolls 32. Theselower rolls are mountedon axes inelinedslightly frqm the vertical and converging downwardly toward. each other as shown in Fig. '1 so that the upper webfacing surfaces of therolls incline downwardly and outwardly from therib 30. 'By this arrangement the only portions of'the' lower rolls 32 which engage: the web are the edges between the top faces and the edge faces at the location where the creasing takesplace, thus minimizing drag on the web as it passes between the upper and lower creasing rolls.

The lower rolls 32 are carried by downwardly extending shafts-'34 journaled in bearings 36 located in recesses 38 formed insupporting blocks 4D. Between each block and its creasing roll-32 are antifriction-thrust bearings :42 sothat even though excessive pressure is exerted on the rolls 32 they will rotatefreely about the axes of the shafts :34.

The blocks 40 have depending tongues 44 (Fig. 3) which extend downwardly through the slots 16 in the respectiverails l4, and the blocks of each pair are interconnected by side strap members 46 (Fig. 1) and bottom strap members :48. To pennit relative adjustment of the blocks and creasing rolls 32 a of each creasing mechanism with respect to each other, screw and slot connections52 and 54 interconnect the straps 46.48 with the outermost-block of each pair. Threaded into one sl fi th -ble k Pisa h.sei i re screw 56 having a shank portion 58 which extends outwardly beyond the end of the supporting frame I2 to receive a handle 60 by which the screw is rotated. Endwise movement of the screws relatively to the frame member [2 is prevented by collars 62 pinned to the shank portions 58 of the screws and engaging "the frame member at the end of the slot I6. It will be apparent that by turning the screws 56 the creasing mechanisms are adjusted lengthwise of the rails l4 and by loosening the screws 52, 54 and turningthe screws 56 one of the sup-porting blocks 40 may be adjusted with respect to the other to adjust the space between the creasing rolls 32 of each creasing mechanism.

Secured to the outer surface of the outermost block of each pair is an upwardly extending supporting arm 64 having an outwardly offset portion 66 to accommodate those portions of the web extending outwardly from the creases to be formed therein. Secured to the upper end of each supporting arm 64 is a supporting bracket 68 having spaced depending arms 10 in which is journaled a shaft 12 having aneccentric portion 13 providing a journal for an uppercreasing roll 28. The brackets 58 are secured to the support-- ing arms 64 for upward yielding movement to eliminate the possibility of breakage of the'parts of the mechanism in the event that an 'extra thickness of-blank material should pass between the upper and lower creasing rolls; For this purpose screws '14 are threaded intothe upper ends of the supporting arms E4, the brackets '68being slidable on unthreaded portions 16 of the screws. Interposed between the heads of the screws and the top surfaces of the brackets 68' are heavy compression springs 18 which normally maintain the brackets seated upon the upper ends of the supporting arms but which will yield to permit upward movement of the creasing rolls 28 during the passage of an excessive thickness of material between'the upper and-lower creasing rolls.

The rolls 28 are mounted on the eccentric portions (3 of the shafts" so that byturningthe shafts the upper rolls 28 maybe movedheight- Wise with respect to the rolls 32 to accommodate webs of blank material of different thicknesses. Also, by separating the upper and lower'rolls upon turning the shafts 12, initial feeding of the web therebetween is facilitated. Each'shaftJ2 projects beyond the inner arm 10 of its bracket 68 to receive a handle by which the shaft maybe turned. Locking screws 82 areprovided for looking the shafts 12 against. turning afterthe upper creasing rolls have been moved into the. proper positions for the creasing operation. 'Bymou'nting the upper creasing rolls on the brackets 68 secured to thesuppo-rting arms 64 which are in turn secured to the blocks-'40. it will beapparent that the three creasing rolls of each unit maybe adjusted simultaneously byrotation of therespective screw 56 thus facilitating adjustmentof the machine for the desired lateralpositionsO-f the creases C.

Asshown in Fig. L the edge.faces 84.of-the lower creasing rolls32 are beveled in such a'manher that they form between them at thelocation where the creasing takes place a. creasereceiving notch having walls" which diverge slightly'in a direction away from. the upper creasing roll 28. By thus forming the-lower creasing rolls, the pressure exerted thereby on the crease formed therebetween bythe rib 30 enl' pp rfirea e I9 is sewerage the sides of the crease at its base. This has the effect of separating the laminae of which the web is formed without unduly compressing the outermost portion of the crease, thus rendering the material flaccid and facilitating subsequent bending of the material about the crease line.

In the operation of the machine the web is drawn through the creasing mechanisms in any suitable manner and by its engagement with the rolls which are all mounted for free rotation it will cause them to turn so that the material is progressively displaced by the rib 30 on the upper creasing roll 28 downwardly between the lower creasing rolls 32. The base of the crease thus formed is pinched by the top edges of the lower creasing rolls but the rest of the crease receives only slight pressure from the edge faces of the lower creasing rolls by reason of the beveling thereof. The laminae of the material along the crease are separated by this action of the creasing rolls so that subsequent folding of the material about the creases is facilitated.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Web-creasing mechanism comprising a pair of frusto-conical web-engaging rolls, each of said rolls having a large web-engaging end face and a smaller end face, means supporting said rolls for rotation about axes so inclined to each other that a crease-receiving notch having walls diverging from that side of the web engaged by the rolls is formed between the peripheries of the rolls and that the large web-engaging end faces of the rolls are nearly parallel with but diverge slightly from the plane of the web engaged by the rolls in directions away from said notch, and means cooperating with said rolls for forming a crease in the web.

2. Web-creasing mechanism comprising a pair of frusto-conical web-supporting rolls, each of said rolls having a large web-supporting end face and a smaller end face, means mounting said rolls for free rotation about axes so inclined to each other that a flared crease-receiving notch having downwardly diverging side walls is formed between the peripheries of the rolls and that the large web-supporting faces of the rolls are nearly parallel with but diverge slightly from the plane of a web supported by the rolls in directions away from said notch, a roll engageable with the top face of the web, said roll being mounted for free rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the plane of the web, and a peripheral rib carried by said roll and arranged to press the web into the narrowest portion of the notch formed between the first-named rolls.

GEORGE S. SILLARS. WALTER B. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The followin references are of record in. the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 306,824 Glazier et a1. Oct. 21, 1884 1,302,831 Naugler May 6, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 6,498 Great Britain of 1911 236,995 Germany July 19, 1911 462,229 Germany July 6, 1928 476,038 Germany May 8, 1929 601,555 Germany Aug. 17, 1934 603,244 Germany Sept. 26, 1934 

